Okay, so the pundits are saying that it was a tie, and that since this was supposed to be McCain's strong subject and he's behind in the polls, he didn't do well enough. I thought McCain fell flat on his face in small ways a number of times, and Amy said so right from the beginning when McCain mentioned Ted Kennedy's hospitalization and then said something like "I haven't been feeling great lately." Now, his intent was to say that he was feeling hopeful about bipartisanship blah blah blah, but the immediate reaction is that McCain linked himself to an old man (from the other party) whose health is sketchy at best. It's not the sort of thing that will show up right away, but it emphasizes McCain's weakness, which is his age combined with his choice of running mate. When George H. W. Bush chose Dan Quayle, there were jokes about how ill-equipped Quayle was for the job, but Poppy was healthy and there was no expectation that he'd eat it during those four years. McCain may be spry for 72 years old, but he's still 72.

There were other moments where McCain really came across as condescending, and youngish people hate that. We want our asses kissed, even when we're actually ignorant of what's going on, and if younger people--and I include anyone under 50 in that grouping, given that Obama is 47--react badly to that, then McCain will have lost this election decisively.

In the end, though, I think that I was right to post the picture below. Obama had this in the bag, and I expect that when the subject turns to the economy, he'll have it even more, assuming that the McCain isn't below 40% after Sarah Palin shows just how unready she is for prime-time next week.